Sign-letter or the like.



c.1.vANDAs.

SIGN LETTER 0R THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. i915.

1,182,945. Patented Mayl, 1916.

IIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIA CASPER J. VANO/15.

BY yf7 UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

CASPER J'. VANDAS, OF OVERLAND PARK, MISSOURI.

SIGN-LETTER on THE LIKE.

Application filed March 20, 1915.

To aZZ whom it may vconcern Be it known that I, CASPER J. VANDAs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Overland Park, St. Louis county, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sign-Letters or the like, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in sign-letters, ornamental designs, and the like, and has for its principal object, the simple, cheap, and economical production, as an article of manufacture, of a built-up outlined gold or other leaf letter, design, or the like having a celluloid or other transparent baseand a protective backing, which may be readily, conveniently, and attractively affixed to, and permanently displayed upon, the exterior surface of a window, show-case, or other surface, the body ofthe letter or the like and its outline, in the finished article, being visible through its transparent base and being protected from injury or damage by its base and its backing or the surface to which the letter or the like may be attached or affixed.

With the above and other objects in view, my present invention resides in the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of my new signletter or the like and in the novel method of manufacturing or producing the same,

all as will hereinafter'be described and afterward pointed out in the claims. p

In the accompanying drawing, which shows both the preferred and a modified form of sign-letter embodying my invention, Figures 1, 2, 3, and l are enlarged detail sectional views illustrating the first several successive steps in the manufacture or production of the preferred or simple form of sign-letter embodyingmy invention; Fig. 5

is an enlarged sectional view, taken approximately on lineA-A, Fig. 6, illustrating the next successive step in the manufacture or production of said letter; Fig. 6 is an elevational view of. the partly completed or finished sign-letter shown in section in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is an yenlarged sectional view, taken approximately ,on line B-B, Flg. 8, of the'nished preferredor simple form of sign-letter embodying my invention; Fig. 8 is an elevational view of the completed or finished sign-letter shown in section in Fig.

Specication of Letters latent.

Patented May 16, 1916.

Serial No. 15,775.

7; Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the finished sign-letter of Fig. 8 in affixed display position upon a ywindow or the like; Figs. 10, l1, 12, 13, 14, and 15 are ,enlarged detail sectional views illustrating the first several successive steps in the manufacture or production of a somewhat modified form of sign-letter embodying `my invention; Fig. 16 is an enlarged sectional view, taken approximately` on line C-C, Fig. 17, illustrating the next successive step in the manufacture or production of said modified form of letter; Fig. 17 is an elevational view of the partly completed or finished sign-letter shown in section in Fig. 1 6; Fig. 18 is an enlarged sectional view, taken approximately on line D-D, Fig. 19, of the finished or completed modified form of sign-letter embodying my invention; and Fig. 20 is an enlarged sectional view of the nished signletter of Fig. 19 in affixedl display position upon a window or the like.

' The simple or preferred form of my new sign-letter comprises a base of celluloid or other analogous transparent material 1 having affixed thereto, as more fully hereinafter appearing, on what I call its reverse side or surface, so asto be visible through, and protected by, the Celluloid base, the particular letter having, in distinctive colors, a bodyportion and an outline, and a protective coating or backing of varnish or analogous material applied to and upon the reverse side of the base over the letter, the body of the letter being preferably in gold or other leaf and the outline thereof being preferably in jet black.

p In the manufacture of my new sign-letter, I first take a section or sheet 1 of suitable transparent material, such as and preferably Celluloid, to provide the base of the letter. I then, with suitable paint or celluloid-ink, preferably jet black in color, paint, print, or otherwise impress, as at 2, upon what I call the reverse side of basel, the, outline of the particular letter, such as, for instance, the Roman letter V shown in finished form in Fig. 8. Paint or ink outline 2 being permitted to dry, I then, as at 3, Awithwhat is commonly known as gold-leaf sizing, size base 1 and particularly that portion of the surface thereof -inclosed within outline 2, as illustrated in Fig. 3. While sizing 3 is sticky or tacky, as it is termed, I apply thereupon within outline 2, gold, silver, or other leaf 4 to form the body of the particular letter, as illustrated in Fig. 4L. Base l being now permitted to stand to allow the gold or other leaf 4 and its sizing 3 to dry, I then apply to base 1 over and upon outline 2 and body 4t of the letterl a coating of preferably jet black slow varnish 5, which provides or forms a protective backing or covering for outline 2 and body it of the letter. Base 1 being again permitted to stand to allow varnish coating 5 to thoroughly dry and set, I then suitably cut the letter along the outer edge of its outline 2 from the Celluloid sheet tovproduce the finished letter illustrated in Fig. 8, which is now ready for use or marketing, as may be desired, and the base of which, as clearly seen in Fig. 8, has a con tour agreeing with the outer edge of said outline 2.

The modified form of my new sign-letter illustrated in Figs. 10 to 19, inclusive, differs from the preferred form thereof, in that its body-portion comprises gold or other leaf of distinctive colors or tints, and in manufacturing this modilied form of letter, I first take a section or sheet 1 of Celluloid or the like, to provide the base of the letter, and size the same, as at 6, upon what I call the reverse side thereof, with suitable goldleaf sizing. When sizing 6 is sticky or tacky,7 I then apply to base 1 thereupon gold, silver, or other leaf 'l' to form one, or the outer, part of the body of the particular letter, such as, for instance, in this case the Gothic letter V shown in finished form in Fig. 19. Gold or other leaf 7 being permitted to dry, I then, with suitable paint or ink, paint, print, or otherwise impress, as at 8, upon gold or other leaf 7, the shape of the particular letter. Letter-shape 8 being now permitted to thoroughly dry, I then, with what is commonly known as Whiting (pulverized chalk and water), applied preferably by means of cotton or the like, clean base 1 to remove therefrom all gold or other leaf 7 and sizing 6 not covered by paint or ink letter-shape S, as illustrated in Fig. 13. I then apply to the surface of base 1 inclosed within letter-shape 8 a coating 9 of gold-leaf sizing, slow varnish, or analogous material. Base 1 being then permitted to stand for a suitable length of time, usually froml six to eight hours, to allow coating to become sticky or tacky, I apply thereupon within letter-shape S additional gold, silver, or other leaflO of a different color or tint from first gold or other leaf 7 to form or provide the middle or inner portion of the body of the particular letter. Base 1 is then burnished oif with cotton or the like to remove all surplus gold or other leaf, and the inner portion of thebody of the letter being permitted to dry, I then, by means of a suitable brush or the like, and preferably with jet black slow varnish, ypaint or print upon the reverse side of base 1 and immediately around letter-shape 8, a distinctive outline for the letter. Approximately at the same time, I also apply to base 1 within said outline and over said letter-shape 8 and inner leaf portion 10, a coating of this same material, that is to say, preferably jet black slow varnish. Such slow varnish, which I have numbered 11 on the drawing, thus `in this instance provides o-r forms, as illustrated particularly in Fig. 1S, not only a protective backing or covering for the body of the letter, but also a distinctive outline for they same. Base 1 being again permitted to stand to allow such outline and coating 11 to thoroughly dry and set, I then suitably cut the letter along the outer edge of its black or distinctive outline 11 from the celluloid sheet to produce the finished letter illustrated in Fig. 19, which is now also ready for use or marketing, as may be desired, and the base of which has also, as clearly seen in Fig. 19, a contour agreeing with the outer edge of said distinctive outline 11.

IVhile I have here-in, for purposes of description, employed the term sign-letter and have shown merely one letter in different styles, it is to be understood that by my invention I contemplate the manufacture of,

and intend the term sign-letter to inl clude, practically all kinds and styles of leti-v ters, numerals, ornamental designs, and the like, the several letters, numerals, and the like being usable separately or together in various arrangements or combinations, as may be desired. And in attaching or affixing my new letter to a window, showcase, or other surface, I preferably first apply to the letter upon the outer surface of itsl protective backing, a coating of varnish enamel or the like 12. The finished letter so coated is then suitably applied upon the exterior surface of the glass 13, as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 20, suitable pressure, preferably by means of a roller or the like, being applied to and upon the outer surface of its base to expel air or the like from coating of enamel 12, so that the letter will permanently stick to and upon the glass or other surface 13. I then, after preferably first cleaning the window or other surface 13, by means of gasolene or the like, to remove sur` plus enamel from around the letter, apply to and upon the glass or other surface and upon the letter a coating of what is commonly known as spar-varnish 14, as also illustrated in Figs. 9 and 20, to provide a moisture-proof covering for the letter.

My new sign-letter may be cheaply and economically manufactured and, while me.` chanically made as described, presents in the finished article the attractive appearance of a hand-painted letter; and, as will be noted, the body of the letter, being between. its base and its protective backing, as well as also when in use between its base and the surface 13 to which the same may be aiixed, is fully protected from abrasions, scratches, and the like.

I am aware that minor changes in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of my new sign-letter, and in the method of manufacturing the same, may be made and substituted therefor and therein without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. As an article of manufacture, the signletter or the like herein described, the same comprising a Celluloid base, an outline of distinctly colored material upon the rear face of said base, a body of metallic leaf material adhesively fixed upon the rear face of the base within the conines of said outline and touching at its outer edge upon the inner edge of said outline, said outline being of a distinctive color from the color of said body, and a protective backing of nontransparent varnish applied also on the rear face of the base and covering said body.

2. As an article of manufacture, the signletter or the like herein described, the same comprising a Celluloid base, an outline of distinctively colored material upon the rear face of said base, a body of metallic leaf material adhesively Xed upon the rear face of the base within the contines of said outline and touching at its outer edge upon the inner edge of said outline, said outline being of a distinctive color from the color of said body, and a protective backing of non-transparent varnish applied also on the 'rear face of the base and covering said outline and body, said base having a contour agreeing with the outer edge of said outline.

3. As an article of manufacture, the signletter' or the like herein described, the same comprising a celluloid base, an outline of distinctively colored material upon the rear face of said base, a body of differently tinted metallic leaf material separately adhesively ixed upon the rear face of the base within the confines of said outline, said bodyetouching at its outer edge upon the inner edge of said outline and said outline being of a different color from the colors of the material of said body, and a protective backing of non-transparent varnish applied also on the rear face of the base and covering said body, said base having a contour agreeing with the outer edge of said outline.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specication, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CASPER J. VANDAS.

J. W. NAYLOR.

Copies o! this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner or latente, Wallington. D. C. 

